Goa parties urge CM to approach UN for Mhadei; not to go for CMs’ Meet

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 10 October 2016 22:22 IST

Goa’s all major opposition parties have unanimously urged Goa government to file cases before United Nations, Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal to save Mhadei river basin, forget diverting water of the river to Karnataka.

The all-party meeting convened by the state government today also urged Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar not to attend the meeting of three CMs of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra to find amicable solution to the Mhadei water dispute.

The oral suggestion in this regard was made by the chairperson of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal.

CM Parsekar however has decided to attend the meeting, in order to respect the Tribunal as well as his counterparts.

“The three states are part of the same nation. Thus I will go, but in no way will compromise the interest of Goa”, Parsekar later told the media.

Seniormost politician and Goa Congress Chief Luizinho Faleiro has said the parties have made further suggestions, in case he attends the three-state meeting.

“If he is going, we have told him he should tell Karnataka to demolish all the dams and other constructions built illegally in the Mhadei wild life sanctuary and rectify the mistake of diverting water from the basin”, he said.

Congress leader Faleiro said that the issue of Mhadei is beyond water sharing as it has been declared a World Heritage, rich of biodiversity, flora and fauna with its unique eco-sensitive character.

“We have thus asked CM to file cases before United Nations and the courts in India to preserve the ecology of Mhadei basin”, said the former CM.

He also alleged that there is no question of compromising on the issue with Karnataka, which has no respect for the law of the land.

“In spite of having a surplus basin of Malprabha, they want to divert water of scarcity basin of Mhadei”, he said.

CM Parsekar however did not disclose who would convene the meeting of all the three states.

“Either we can convene it or the other states. Nothing is decided so far”, he said.

The meeting was attended by state presidents of all the political parties, Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan leaders Nirmala Sawant and Rajendra Kerkar as well as additional solicitor general of India Atmaram Nadkarni, who represents Goa before the tribunal.